1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an endoscope system having a control for centralizing control of a light source and other plurality of peripheral equipment for the endoscope system.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, endoscopes have been widely adopted to observe an organ inside a body cavity by inserting an elongated insertion tube into the cavity or to undertake various kinds of treatment, if necessary, by routing treatment adapters through a treatment adapter channel. Furthermore, an electronic endoscope with a charge coupled device (CCD) or other solid-state imaging device at the distal end of the insertion tube has been in use.
In the field of medicine, for example, when an endoscope is used for diagnosis or treatment, an endoscope, a light source, and other equipment required are usually installed in a rack to form an endoscope system, then used for diagnosis or treatment.
In the endoscope system, diverse peripheral equipment are combined selectively depending on the purpose of use; for example, a light source for supplying illumination light to a subject via an endoscope, a video signal processor for processing a video signal originating from the endoscope, and an automatic imaging unit for forming optical images obtained with the endoscope, or a cautery hemostasis unit for cauterizing a lesion and a cautery power unit.
In the past, the peripheral equipment have been installed in a rack to form an endoscope system. In this case, equipment are operated independently. Then, observation or treatment is carried out. Thus, components are designed to be used independently. The components accommodated, for example, in a rack must be operated one by one. Depending on the arrangement of the rack or equipment, a doctor or a nurse who operates the endoscope system may have to operate equipment in an uncomfortable posture or move here and there to operate equipment. As a result, the operating procedure becomes complex or an environment most suitable for examination or treatment cannot be realized. For an endoscope system having a plurality of peripheral equipment, a function has long been awaited to operate peripheral equipment included in a system at a single station, centralize control of multiple equipment, or check the operating states of the multiple equipment at a single station.
The patent applicant has proposed an endoscope system having a chair equipped with operation switches in U.S. Pat. No. 4,854,301. In the system, the switches on the chair are used to operate equipment. This improves operability in endoscopic examination or treatment.
However, in the conventional system, although the switches are arranged at easy-to-operate locations, operation or control of peripheral equipment cannot be centralized. Therefore, it is impossible to actuate multiple different equipment or operate them in harmony using a single switch. Moreover, the operation switches are designed to operate specific units. Therefore, the arrangement of an operation unit or the combination of peripheral equipment cannot be changed flexibly.
Each of the peripheral equipment is provided with a power switch. The on or off operation of the power switch is performed unit by unit when it becomes necessary. The on or off operation of a light which is installed near an endoscope to illuminate a subject or an endoscope light, or room lights for an endoscope room is also done using an independent switch. Above all, when the room light switch being installed on the wall is concerned, if the quantity of light of the room lights must be adjusted, the user have to go to the wall and adjust the light adjustment variable resistor on the wall. The purpose of using an endoscope is oriented to treatment of a subject or identification of a lesion. If the power switches of units are turned on or off every before or after the units are used, it interrupts smooth treatment or identification. Therefore, the power switches of units are usually held on even if they are not used. That is to say, if an operator is obliged to turn on or off the power switches one by one during operation, it will be a great load to the operator. On the other hand, if all the power switches are held on, excessive power is consumed.